Today marks my 7th-week teaching and living in China. It feels like I’ve been here longer from how fast time is moving.
I think the most surprising transition for me has been going from being a university student to working full-time. There’s a reason people don’t warn you about it. The same goes for growing up.
The level of responsibility that dawns upon you comes out of nowhere. All of a sudden you need to learn how to manage your money, pay bills, evaluate where your life is going, and basically pray you don’t get scammed.
In my case, always living at home with my parents to moving to a completely different country really tested my ability to operate independently. Though I genuinely wanted this change, it’s also been a lot to process mentally.
The living alone part isn’t as much of an issue, as is having to fully feel comfortable in a different culture and society. I may find things that comfort me, but parts of me will always crave home and family.
When I feel most lonely, I do my best to keep myself occupied with running errands, home-based work, calling family, or just taking the time to write my thoughts and feel whatever it is I am feeling. I frequently walk around the city to get myself familiar with the area, and there’s always something new to see.
I knew the reality of living abroad alone and expected loneliness, but I think part of me didn’t realize how isolated I would often feel. Like all things, this too shall pass inshaAllah.
So about being an English teacher in China. I primarily teach at a private training school, along with a couple of public schools. The training school is kind of what you’d call an after-school program, like Kumon.
I mainly teach ages 3 to 14, with English levels varying by level of exposure. Hohhot is more of a small town so you won’t find many people who speak English. Although younger generations have become more exposed to the language because of the demand and prospects of going overseas.
When teaching my classes, I always have a Chinese teacher present in case students need further explanation in Chinese, discipline, and to assist me in other ways. Like having a teacher assistant, but one that likes to get in your way. No shade…
For the short time I’ve been living here, I’ve certainly had many good days and even more exhausting days. The workload isn’t a problem, but the way classes are set up back-to-back on weekends is tiring. By the time it’s my days off, I honestly don’t want to see any more kids.
My students are the cutest I’m not gonna lie. I already have a couple of favorites and most are girls. The boys usually get on my nerves, and God knows I need a little extra patience for them.
As I mentioned before, I also work at a couple of public schools on weekdays. I teach grades 1 to 6, all of which have 40+ students. It’s a handful, but I’ve surprisingly liked teaching large groups of students, compared to smaller classes at my training school.
The students are also a lot more energetic and somewhat chaotic, which is probably why I like it. I love a little fun at school. Plus I’m a fabulous teacher, hence why my students are giving me love notes and little gifts. I practically died when my grown 5th-grade student handed me a love note.
Kids these days already learning to shoot their shot. Bold, I tell ya.
I’ve also noticed how my presence always surprises parents at my training school. It’s so interesting to watch them watch me as they drop their students off, or stay to watch the class (crazy, I know). Many of them are awkward. A lot of them have money, so they come with entitlement. Equally many of them are the sweetest and show an appreciation for the work we do. Many of the families who are Muslim are always eager to invite me to break bread, and I’ve become very known around the community. Makes me smile inside.
Before China, I had a lot of mixed feelings about the country. I was concerned about how Muslims and people of color were treated, taking regard to what the media was showing. Youtube and Google became my best friends. I also knew a couple of friends who visited the country and had many good things to say about it.
Overall, I did enough research to feel satisfied and comfortable knowing I was going to be fine. And at the end, that trust I felt eventually manifested in my environment.
I previously spoke about how my job search went in my blog in case you missed it. Long story short, I was blessed to move to a city and location where there’s a deeply rooted Muslim community. It’s a community I am constantly amazed by and learning from.
With that being said, China has a long history of Islam and Muslims and one that should be learned about. Personally, it would be a disservice to me to not experience it when I can do so. That also goes for any other country out there.
This journey has allowed me to learn many new things, see new places, and meet incredible souls. Most importantly, I’ve allowed myself to be in different spaces I otherwise wouldn’t be in.
To my younger self: It’s alright to have fear, but don’t ever let that stop you. Live boundlessly.
